Reinforced pallet

Abstract

A plastic pallet having an elongated downwardly opening channel molded into the undersurface of its bottom wall. The channel extends through the midpoint of the bottom wall from one side edge to the other and may be provided with ribs for added reinforcement. A plastic reinforcing strip is fused along substantially its full length to the channel flanges to close the space within the channel.

What we claim as our invention is: 
     
       1. A plastic pallet having a rectangular bottom wall, integral retaining walls extending upwardly along the four edges of said bottom wall, said retaining walls having lower edge portions disposed beneath the upper supporting surface of said bottom wall, said bottom wall having an elongated downwardly opening channel molded into its underside and including flanges extending downwardly from the upper supporting surface of said bottom wall, said channel extending through the midpoint of said bottom wall from one retaining wall to the opposite retaining wall at right angles thereto, said lower edge portions of said one retaining wall and said opposite retaining wall defining end walls for said channel, and an elongated reinforcing strip of plastics material, said strip extending lengthwise of said channel throughout the full length thereof and secured to the free lower edges of the channel flanges and to the lower edge portions of said one retaining wall and said opposite retaining wall to close the space within said channel. 
     
     
       2. A plastic pallet as defined in claim 1, wherein said strip is formed of the same plastics material as said bottom wall, and said strip is fused continuously along its full length to said channel flanges and at its ends to said lower edge portions of said one retaining wall and said opposite retaining wall, said bottom of said strip being flush with the underside of said bottom wall. 
     
     
       3. A plastic pallet as defined in claim 2, wherein said channel has an integral, central reinforcing rib extending along the longitudinal center line of said channel and fused to said strip along its full length. 
     
     
       4. A plastic pallet as defined in claim 3, wherein said channel has transverse reinforcing ribs integrally connecting said central rib and said channel flanges and fused to said strip.